Vegetarianism

INTRODUCTION THE YOUNG INDIAN VEGETARIANS European vegetarian friends express great sadness, sorrow and indeed disbelief when they hear that more and more Indian people eat meat. The trend in the rest of the world is certainly different: millions of people in Europe and the rest of the world are giving up meat-eating due to health, moral and ethical reasons. One would expect that at a time when vegetarianism is gaining such a wide acceptance everywhere, its impact on the Indian mind would be overwhelming — vegetarian ethos should have reached to every section of the Indian society — even to those sections which have always been eating meat. Unfortunately, this is not the case. On the contrary more and more people in India and Indians who have settled abroad consider nothing immoral or wrong in eating meat. Indeed the first and second generation of Indian children growing up in countries like United Kingdom, U.S.A. and East Africa are encouraged to eat meat. How can the teachings of Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Mahaveera and Gandhiji be forgotten so easily? Indian people are often respected for their ‘gentleness and compassion’ towards all living beings. It is this very characteristic that we are abandoning without realising its great value. Through this booklet we make a fervent appeal to Indian people and indeed all the people of the world: — “Please give up meat eating." We, the Young Indian Vegetarians, along with numerous other animal welfare groups in U.K., have been working hard to reduce animal suffering. We need your help — this booklet must be distributed to thousands of people in U.K.. U.S.A., East Africa, India, and many other countries. We also want to open up branches of the Young Indian Vegetarians in U.S.A., East Africa, West Indies and other countries. Contact me if you can help. NITIN MEHTA President, Young Indian Vegetarians Committee Members: Standing from left Vaid Bharath. Nitin Mehta. Nipan Malde. Chandresh Malde Seated from left Maiuri Shah. Mrs. Pratibha Mehta, Varsha Shah Messages of Support THE RT. HON. BERNARD WEATHERILL, M.P. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS I became a vegetarian as a result of seeing the devastating effects of starvation in the famine of 1942 in Bengal. To me the consumption of meat is not just a question of cruelty to animals (undoubted though that is), but of cruelty to people’. Every year our world grows twice as much food as is necessary to give every man, woman and child an adequate diet. It is our obsession with animal protein which turns plenty into shortage. The world’s hungry could be fed if 10% of the grain now given to animals was used for human consumption. Yet we in Britain this year will spend over £100 million in slimming aids to avoid the consequences of our over consumption This cannot be morally right, and we are sowing the seeds of a bitter harvest by allowing it to continue. I warmly support the positive lead which is given by The Young Indian Vegetarians, and I hope it will receive very wide support. LORD BROCKWAY House of Lords Best wishes Lord Fennar Brockway INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS Indian Community Affairs Programme Bhaktivedanta Manor, Watford, Herts 1st June 1983 Dear Nitinbhai and all the workers for Young Indian Vegetarians, Hare Krishna! Every year we have been doing a little something to help you with Vegetarian day, but we’re really pleased that this summer you are making the grandest arrangements, all because of your tremendous enthusiasm to spread awareness of the benefits of a vegetarian diet for the individual and for society. We are eagerly looking forward to Vegetarian Day and meeting old and new vegetarian friends, discussing ideas and encouraging one another in our various lines of attack on the ignorance, misconceptions and, in cases, downright cruelty which is polluting mankind’s vision of a proper civilization. However, our spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada told us, ‘Lectures may go in one ear and out the other, but books they take with them. So it is particularly pleasing to see your efforts to publish this booklet as a lasting document of the ideals expressed on Vegetarian Day. We hope and sincerely pray that its message ie read far and wide. Please pass on our beat wishes to all your youth workers. We’ll see you all very soon. Yours, in the service of the Lord AKHANDADHI DAS THE VEGETARIAN SOCIETY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM LTD Altrincham, Cheshire The Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom Limited is happy to welcome the efforts of the Young Indian Vegetarians to encourage and promote vegetarianism among people of Indian origin living in the United Kingdom. The Vegetarian Society exists to promote vegetarianism and to bring together those who are vegetarian into a national organisation which represents their interest. It provides literature, information about vegetarianism, publicity material, organises meetings and conferences to promote vegetarianism and publishes a magazine, “The Vegetarian” and “The International Vegetarian Health Food Handbook” as well as a wide range of other literature. In addition it plays a vital part in promoting research into aspects of vegetarianism and organises vegetarian cookery courses to encourage public interest and participation. We wish every success to the events being organised in Leicester and Wellinborough by the Young Indian Vegetarians. MAXWELL G. LEE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL PETER SINGER, Author of the Best Seller, ‘Animal Rights’ Australia 19/6/83 Dear Nitin Mehta, Thank you for your letter. I am happy to provide a message of support for your souvenir. Here it is: Vegetarianism is the essential basis of a sound ethical attitude to animals. Those who are in the habit of dining of pieces of slaughtered animals will naturally find it difficult to think of animals as anything other than means to their own ends. But animals, of course, have lives of their own to lead, just as we do. They were not placed on this earth just in order to provide humans with food or sport. In the West, the more advanced thinkers are only just beginning to realize that an ethic which is limited to our species is no more defensible than an ethic limited to our race. Hinduism, to its credit, has never put such a gulf between our species and others as has Christainity. I therefore hope that Indian vegetarians will join with the animal liberation movement in the West. In doing so. they will be true to what is highest in both Western and Indian thought. All the best to you all. PETER SINGER SCOTTISH SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF VIVISECTION Edinburgh “Very best wishes for the success of the Young Indian Vegetarians Event at Leicester and Wellingborough.” It is good to know that this active group of young Indians is spreading the net beyond London. CLIVE HOLLANDS and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Vivisection. COMPASSION IN WORLD FARMING Petersfield, Hampshire “Compassion In World Farming wishes Young Indian Vegetarians good luck in their campaign to promote vegetarianism in Leicester.and Wellingborough. We congratulate you heartily on your initiative in showing young Indians there is no need or reason to imitate unsavoury Western habits, such as meat-eating.” HUNT SABOTEURS ASSOCIATION London May we take this opportunity to offer our support and congratulations for your forthcoming events to be held during August this year. As you are probably aware, our main concern is the protection of those wild animals hunted to death by packs of hounds, until such time as they are protected by law. Once again congratulations to you and all your members. BOB AUGUST Secretary BRITISH UNION FOR THE ABOLITION OF VIVISECTION London The BUAV is an Animal Rights Organisation which campaigns vigorously against all animal experiments. We believe that there is a strong link between the abuse of animals and the abuse of humans and we fully support the excellent work of the Young Indian Vegetarians. PADDY BROUGHTON Group/Student Co-ordinator FRAME (Fund for the Replacement of Animals In Medical Experiments) FRAME (Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments) is a scientific Charity which is conducting a RESEARCH PROGRAMME to develop humanealternatives to the use of live animals in experiments. Further research into methods such as tissue culture (cells grown outside the body), computer studies and microbial tests is needed if painful animal methods (such as the LD5O test) are to be successfully phased out. FRAME publishes information for scientists, and leaflets for non-scientists in our campaign for better legislation to protect laboratory animals. If you are interested in helping us to take positive action to promote humane alternatives, and wish to join your local FRIENDS of FRAME group, please contact this address: FRAME (Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments) 5b The Poultry Bank Place Nottingham NG12JR THE JEWISH VEGETARIAN SOCIETY London Dear Friends, Hearty congratulations on your activities. In our aim to promote a healthier, more compassionate, happier world, progress can only be achieved by peoples being true to their own principles and tradition and thereby influencing their friends and all those who are nearest and dearest to them. The strength of a movement lies in its constituent units and by co-operation a world-wide organisation with real impact at every point can eventually result. Inspiration is the motivating factor of vegetarianism and the philosophy that has emanated from India has been a major factor in encouraging the spread of vegetarianism. May your campaign in Leicester and Wellingborough be full of achievement and may you all enjoy happiness and satisfaction in a task well done.

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